1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a computer program product, which support security print such as check print.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus which can support security print, magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) printers used to print checks are known. The MICR printers are required to have the functionality capable of preventing unauthorized use, forgery and copy of checks because the checks are cash vouchers. The followings are representative measures to the above problem.
(1) In order to produce a valid check, MICR toner (magnetic toner), an MICR font, and check paper are necessary. Thus, unauthorized use of such resources is prohibited.
(2) A special dedicated command is embedded in a job for printing a check, and the job which includes this dedicated command is called “MICR job”. The resources mentioned above are permitted for use only on the MICR job.
(3) If the MICR job remains in a hard disk drive (HDD), it may be exposed to unauthorized use or forgery. In this case, an accumulated document print function is disabled.
In the past, the above measures were taken, and as a result MICR printers have been used as dedicated printers only to be used for MICR print.
Meanwhile, since check printing is a basic job for banks (including branches), at least two MICR printers including a backup printer need to be installed in order to be prepared for trouble. However, since typical work can be sufficiently performed using one printer, the users have the following demands.
(1) It is desired that the backup printer is not a dedicated printer which is used only for MICR print but a general multi-function printer (MFP) which can be used for typical office works so that the backup printer may be used for normal office work. The backup MFP may be configured such that it can be used for MICR print in a way of exchanging an all-in-one (AIO) toner cartridge as necessary.
(2) Since the MICR printer is not equipped with the accumulated document print function due to security problems, it is desired to use the accumulated document print function in the backup MFP.
As a method which meets the above desires, for example, the following methods have been used.
(1) As a method employed in existing products, the accumulated print function (confidential print, test print, hold print, or stored print) using an HDD is not permitted, and when there is an attempt to accumulate a MICR job or a normal job, the corresponding job is canceled. Further, provided is a mode requiring a password to be input through a device panel before a MICR job is printed and output, and of then printing the MICR job. In such products, processing is performed in the order that jobs are input to the device (that is, selecting a document is not allowed and jobs are output starting from the job at the top).
Here, the confidential print refers to a print function of enabling printing through user authentication performed by using a password input from an operating panel of a printer. The test function refers to a print function of printing only one copy under a set condition and then printing the remaining copies under the set condition after a print result has been checked. The hold print refers to a print function of temporarily storing a document, which a host has instructed a printer to print, in a hard disk and of then printing the document when a print start instruction is given from an operating panel by a user. The stored print refers to a print function of storing print data continuously even after printing.
(2) Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-269292 discloses an image forming apparatus that classifies MICR jobs into two types, that is, an MICR job that requires an input of a password from a device panel and an MICR job that does not require an input of a password, for the purpose of improving a user's convenience by permitting accumulation of the MICR jobs. The MICR job that requires an input of a password is accumulated in an HDD so as to allow printing of the subsequent job, whereas the MICR job that does not require the input of a password is printed as is. The MICR job accumulated in the HDD can be selected through a device panel at arbitrary timing, and printed.
However, in the method of canceling the print job if an attempt to accumulate the MICR job and the normal job is made, there is a disadvantage in that the use of the job cancellation function is not permitted even in normal print. Further, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-269292, since data is accumulated in the HDD, printing may possibly be performed many times. In addition, when there is a password leak and an accumulated job was not erased, there is a risk that the job will be printed without authorization. Furthermore, when a printer body or the HDD is stolen or there is a leak of accumulated data, there is a risk that they will be used for forgery of checks or the like.
There is a need that the accumulation function can be used in an image forming apparatus while preventing unauthorized use of a special print job such as an MICR job.